- PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP BEGAN HIS GLOBAL TRAVELS THIS WEEK IN
CANADA, AT THE G-7 ECONOMIC CONFERENCE.
BUT IT WAS HIS DEPARTURE TO SINGAPORE AND HIS SUMMIT WITH
KIM JONG-UN THAT CAPTURED THE WORLD'S ATTENTION.
POST-SUMMIT, THE PRESIDENT GUARANTEED NORTH KOREA'S
COMMITMENT TO DENUKE.
BUT THE AGREEMENT SHOWS NO DETAIL ON HOW, WHEN OR WITH WHAT
DEGREE OF U.S. SCRUTINY.
GREEN BAY CONGRESSMAN MIKE GALLAGHER IS A FORMER U.S.
MARINE AND A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE.
HE JOINS US FROM WASHINGTON BY PHONE.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR DOING SO.
- THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
I APPRECIATE IT.
- SO WITH YOUR EXPERTISE IN INTELLIGENCE AND INTERNATIONAL
AFFAIRS, WHAT'S YOUR INITIAL TAKE ON THE DEAL PRESIDENT
TRURVE MADE WITH KIM JONG-UN?
- I SUPPORT WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE IS TRYING TO DO.
ALL OF US SHOULD WANT THE PRESIDENT TO BE SUCCESSFUL
BECAUSE ALL OF US WANT TO RESOLVE THIS CRISIS PEACEFULLY.
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE RAISED IN
RESPONSE TO THE SINGAPORE SUMMIT.
WE HERE IN CONGRESS ARE EAGERLY AWAITING WHOEVER THE
ADMINISTRATION SENDS TO HAVE THIS HONEST DISCUSSION.
BECAUSE QUITE HONESTLY, EVEN THE PHRASE DENUKEIZATION THAT GETS
THROWN AROUND, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT KIM JONG-UN MEANS WHEN HE
SAYS THAT.
THAT'S BEING FILTERED THROUGH A SOUTH KOREAN PRESS AND GETTING
DISTORTED A LITTLE BIT.
WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT IT, HE MEANS SUSPENSION OF FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM COMBINED WITH AMERICANS GETTING
RID OF OUR PRESENCE ON THE PENINSULA AND SECURITY
GUARANTEES FOR OUR ALLIES.
IT'S UNCLEAR TO ME WHAT EXACTLY HE AGREED TO EVEN THOUGH THE
PHRASE DENUKEIZATION GETS BANDIED AROUND.
I THINK THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS RAISED AROUND THE EXTENT TO
WHICH CHINA IS VIOLATING SANCTIONS.
THE PRESIDENT SEEMED TO SUGGEST AS MUCH AFTERWARDS.
I THINK WE SHOULD BE ENHANCING ECONOMIC PRESSURE ON THE
CHINESE.
THE ONE THING WE DON'T WANT TO HAPPEN IS WE DON'T WANT A
PROTRACTED NEGOTIATION PROCESS TO PLAY OUT WHILE THE MAXIMUM
PRESSURE CAMPAIGN IS SORT OF LOSING STEAM.
I GIVE THE ADMINISTRATION ENORMOUS CREDIT FOR EMBARKING ON
THE CAMPAIGN.
IT'S THE RIGHT APPROACH.
BUT WE CAN'T SLOW THAT DOWN.
IT GIVES US THE BEST CHANCE TO RESOLVE THIS PEACEFULLY.
- YEAH.
SO SHOULD WE TRUST NORTH KOREA?
- NOT AT ALL.
NOT FOR ONE SECOND.
ANY OBJECTIVE OBSERVER OF THE LAST 30 YEARS WOULD HAVE TO
CONCLUDE THAT THE ONLY CONSISTENT THING THEY'VE DONE IS
LIE AND VIOLATE.
IN THE '90s THEY AGREED TO HALT DEVELOPMENT ON THE
PLUTONIUM TRACK.
EVERYONE SHOULD APPROACH NORTH KOREA WITH SKEPTICISM.
TRUST BUT VERIFY.
WE NEED TO GO FURTHER, DISTRUST, DISTRUST AND DO EVERYTHING YOU
CAN TO VERIFY.
WHICH LEADS TO ANOTHER INTERESTING POINT.
THINK ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER KIM IS
COMPLYING WITH ANY AGREEMENT, EVEN IF WE GET A MORE DETAILED
AGREEMENT LATER ON.
IF THEY ARE ABLE TO WORK OUT THE DETAILS.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO OPEN UP THEIR COUNTRY TO INSPECTION MECHANISM.
IN MANY WAYS, IT MIGHT BE MORE DIFFICULT THAN THE CHALLENGE
WITH IRAN.
BUT THE IRAN DEAL GIVES US AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT NOT TO DO.
WE CAN'T ALLOW FOR THE COUNTER PARTY TO RESTRICT ACCESS TO
CERTAIN MILITARY SITES.
WE CAN'T IGNORE HUMAN RIGHTS.
WE CAN'T IGNORE REGIONAL BEHAVEL BEHAVIOR.
OBVIOUSLY, THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION DECIDED IT WAS
GOING TO AVOID CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL, NOT SUBMIT IT TO
CONGRESS AS A TREATY.
I THINK THAT'S A LARGE REASON WHY THE AGREEMENT DIDN'T
OUT-LAST PRESIDENT OBAMA'S TERM IN OFFICE.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE FOR THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO
SUBMIT ANY AGREEMENT THEY GET TO CONGRESS.
AND I ACTUALLY THINK THAT WOULD ENHANCE THEIR NEGOTIATING
LEVERAGE.
I'M SORRY TO GO ON HERE, BUT THERE'S WELL-ESTABLISHED
LITERATURE ABOUT THE NATURE OF TWO-LEVEL GAMES.
THAT MEANS WHEN THE WHITE HOUSE SITS DOWN AT A NEGOTIATION, THEY
CAN POINT TO CONGRESS AND THEY WE GOT ALL THESE CRAZY PEOPLE
WHO DEMAND A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
THEY NEED TO APPROVE ANY AGREEMENT.
WE'RE INSISTING ON TOUGH CONDITIONS HERE.
THAT'S THE WAY OUR SYSTEM WORKS AND IT HELPS THE WHITE HOUSE IF
CONGRESS DEMANDS A GREATER ROLE.
- WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TALKING ABOUT THIS.
CONGRESSMAN MIKE GALLAGHER.
- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE.